SERMON: Impartial Judgment

Romans 2:6-11 | Twin City Bible Church | twincitybible.org/media/sermons

Today, we discuss God's future impartial judgment, drawing a parallel to the legal concept of a summary judgment where a judge applies law to facts without a full trial. In this divine judgment, God will be both the factfinder and the judge, possessing perfect knowledge, ensuring absolute justice with no appeal. This concept is developed in Romans 2:6-11.

This study in Romans has shown that both Gentiles who engaged in idolatry and sin and moralistic individuals (primarily Jews in Paul's context) who were hypocritical and unrepentant are guilty before God and deserving of his judgment.

The passage in Romans 2:6-11 has a chiastic structure, resembling a sandwich with the thoughts progressing in towards a central point and then back out. The structure is: Verse 6 and 11 form the first set (the bread), verses 7 and 10 the second (the cheese), and verses 8 and 9 the third (the ham in the middle).

First Set: Impartiality of God's Judgment (Verses 6 & 11)

• Verse 6 states that God will render to each person according to his deeds, meaning a due payment or recompense for their works.
• Verse 11 declares that there is no partiality with God. The term "partiality" (literally "to receive face") is used negatively in the New Testament to mean showing favoritism without good reason.
• These verses together emphasize that God's judgment will be based on actual evidence – the deeds and lifestyle of each individual – not on hearsay, generalities, or subjective feelings. This confirms the impartiality of God's verdict.
• In the ancient world, people expected judges to show favoritism. Scripture exhorts against this, reflecting God's own impartiality (Leviticus 19:15, Ephesians 6:9, Colossians 3:25). Peter also learned this lesson (Acts 10:34).
• Paul addresses the Jews, ensuring they don't think their chosen status will exempt them from judgment. This applies broadly to any moralist who thinks they are better than others. All people's deeds will be impartially examined.
• Numerous scriptures affirm judgment based on deeds (Job 34:11, Psalm 62:12, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Jeremiah 17:10, Matthew 16:27, John 5:28-29, Revelation 2:23, Revelation 20:12-13).
• This judgment by deeds does not contradict salvation by grace alone. Scripture is clear that salvation is through grace by faith, not by works (Acts 15:11, Romans 3:20, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Romans 3:24).
• Rather, deeds or works are the outward expression that confirms the state of someone's heart. As James said, faith without works is dead (James 2:26). True saving faith will always manifest in good works. God impartially judges works as real evidence of the heart's condition.

Second Set: Verdict on the Truly Saved (Verses 7 & 10)

• Verse 7 states that those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality will receive eternal life.
• Verse 10 promises glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• Perseverance means persistence in obeying the Lord, even when difficult. Those genuinely saved will persevere (perseverance of the saints).
• Doing good refers to obedience to God's commands, not just what is deemed good by people or culture. This aligns with scriptures on enduring to the end to be saved (Matthew 24:13), continuing in faith (Colossians 1:23), holding fast until the end (Hebrews 3:14), and being faithful until death (Revelation 2:10).
• True believers are characterized by what they seek after:
• Glory: Longing for God's majesty and presence in heaven. Believers will be transformed to reflect God's glory.
• Honor: The praise God will give in the future to those who persevered through trials. They will inherit the kingdom.
• Immortality (or incorruptibility): Another description of eternal life, the hope of an indestructible resurrection life (1 Corinthians 15:52-53, 1 Peter 1:4).
• Verse 10 replaces "immortality" with "peace," which in this context is a synonym for salvation. Romans 5:1 states that being justified by faith brings peace with God. Eternal life in heaven will be the ultimate peace – a perfect condition of joy and tranquility without aggravation.
• A person's obedience is the evidence that the Spirit of God lives within them, signifying they are saved. True faith is marked by a life seeking spiritual and heavenly things, obeying the Lord, and repenting when failing.

Third Set: Contrasting Verdict on the Unrepentant (Verses 8 & 9)

• Verse 8 states that those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will receive wrath and indignation. Selfishly ambitious refers to being self-seeking and focused on their own purposes, opposing God.
• Verse 9 declares tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek.
• Wrath signifies God's swelling anger towards sin. Indignation is a more vivid term for the fierce expression of God's anger, the boiling up of divine displeasure. These will be poured out on unrepentant people in the final judgment.
• Tribulation in this context means pressure to the point of breaking, acute and intense suffering that lasts forever. Distress conveys the idea of being cramped in a space, representing extreme affliction with no escape.
• This judgment applies to every person whose life is characterized by not caring about spiritual things, not seeking heavenly things, and by sin and disobedience against God's law, if they do not repent.
• The phrase "to the Jew first and also to the Greek" highlights God's impartiality, as even the Jews, who had the law and greater light, will face this judgment if unsaved, possibly with greater condemnation for their pride.

Three Conclusions About God's Future Judgment:

1. It will be impartial: God judges all by the same standard, without prejudice based on social status, education, appearance, ethnicity, nationality, gender, or age. He cannot be bribed.
2. It will be objective: Based on facts and evidence – our works – which confirm the state of our hearts. Two objective verdicts are possible: eternal life or eternal wrath.
3. It will be individual: Judgment is personal for each person, not collective (Verse 6, 9).

Exhortations and Warnings:

• For believers, works and obedience are important as they mark us as followers of Christ. Salvation is a costly devotion and a life of discipleship, not just a mere affirmation. While saved people are imperfect and need constant reliance on Christ's mercy and forgiveness, they do persist in loving and obeying God and doing good works. God sees and values every act of obedience done out of love for Christ.
• For non-believers, God's standard for judging deeds is perfect obedience. Since no one can achieve this, the gospel message of forgiveness in Christ is essential. God forgives those who repent and believe in Christ and then works in them to produce good works (Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 2:13).
• Scripture presents humanity as divided into two groups: those on the narrow path to life and the broad path to destruction, good and bad trees, wise and foolish builders, sheep and goats (Matthew 7, 12, 25).
• Those who reject Christ will face judgment based on their works at the great white throne judgment, where their works will be condemned. Believers will be at the judgment seat of Christ, where their works will be confirmed. This presents a sharp contrast in eternal destiny.